Archaeologists excavating the site of Vindonissa, Switzerland’s most important Roman legionary camp, have uncovered new evidence that sheds light on the settlement’s earliest military occupation, including the first confirmed section of its original defensive wall, a legionary barracks and a rare gold coin dating to the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
The discoveries were made during an 11-month rescue excavation carried out by the Cantonal Archaeology Department in Windisch, ahead of the construction of a new residential development known as Via Romana. Covering around 4,000 square metres, the excavation has significantly expanded archaeologists’ understanding of Vindonissa’s earliest military camp, which was established during the early decades of Roman rule north of the Alps.
One of the most significant breakthroughs was the confirmation of the southern timber-and-earth rampart and its associated V-shaped defensive ditch belonging to the first Roman troop camp. Although part of the ditch had been identified more than 90 years ago in nearby Königsfelden Park, the latest excavation has allowed researchers to map the course of the fortification for the first time.
The newly identified section lay around 70 metres south of the later legionary fortress wall before turning northwest beyond the excavation area. The findings provide a much clearer picture of the camp’s original layout and suggest where the remaining defences may lie beneath the modern town.
While archaeologists believe the fortification was constructed during the early reign of Emperor Tiberius (AD 14–37), the available finds have not yet allowed a more precise date to be established. However, vegetation preserved within the ditch suggests the defences were abandoned or neglected for a considerable period before being repaired.
The excavation also uncovered valuable evidence of daily life within the camp during its earliest years.
Beneath a later Roman road, archaeologists identified the remains of a substantial timber building measuring approximately nine metres wide and at least 30 metres long. Divided into regularly arranged rooms and entrance spaces, the structure is thought to have served as a barracks for Roman legionaries—the professional soldiers who formed the backbone of the Roman army.
Elsewhere, immediately inside the early camp wall, excavators discovered the remains of what may have been a military workshop, including the foundations of a carefully constructed field forge. Nearby evidence of an oven suggests the area was used for metalworking and other essential military crafts during the camp’s formative years.
Large deposits of rubble outside the later legionary fortress yielded an exceptional collection of artefacts spanning the Roman Republic through to Late Antiquity.
Among the finds were blacksmith’s tools, leatherworking equipment, fragments of everyday objects and the millstone from a Roman hand mill, offering a glimpse into both military and civilian life around the camp.
One of the excavation’s most remarkable discoveries was a gold aureus struck during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. The coin ranks among the site’s most significant numismatic finds and provides further evidence of the wealth circulating through the military settlement.
Archaeologists also recovered a finely carved carnelian gemstone, measuring just one centimetre across, depicting the Roman goddess Victoria holding a wreath and staff. Other notable finds included two possible handles from Roman surgical scalpels, hinting at the presence of military medical personnel.
The excavation has also yielded one of Vindonissa’s most unusual recent discoveries—a remarkably preserved Roman loaf of bread. Still undergoing scientific analysis, the bread was recovered earlier during the project and may offer rare insights into the diet of soldiers stationed at the camp nearly 2,000 years ago.
Working through winter snow and summer heat, the team of around 20 archaeologists completed the excavation on schedule, documenting more than 2,200 square metres of archaeological remains before handing the site over for construction in July 2026.
Researchers say the discoveries represent one of the most important advances in understanding the origins of Vindonissa in decades, revealing new details about the layout, defences and everyday life of the Roman military camp that laid the foundations for one of Switzerland’s most significant archaeological sites.
Sources : KANTON AARGAU
